Match Report Rochdale 1st XI v Ramsbottom 1st XI – 7 May 2022
Ramsbottom CC 242 for 6 (50 overs) Rochdale CC 140 all out (44.3 overs)
Scorecard here
Brilliant Harry Knock Lifts the Gloom
A disappointing turn out of Rammy supporters were greeted with the news that our pro Sen was unwell but was playing as we were unable to find a late replacement. Sen had been in bed for the two previous days suffering from a chest infection.
Having lost the toss the Rams were asked to take first knock. The main danger in the Rochdale attack is the veteran Steven Oddy. This excellent medium pace bowler had ripped out the top 5 of Burnley’s batting the previous week giving Rochdale a big win against last year’s champions.
He was soon at it again getting rid of Alex Olpin caught at first slip and skipper Grimmy LBW whilst sweeping.
With the score at 17 for 2 our pro came to the wicket. Although the scoring became slow Sen and Jonny Dack took us to 47 and had forced a change of bowling before Jonny came down the track only to be deceived by the opposition spinner Zaman and stumped. Brad Fielding then joined Sen at the wicket. Brad is in desperate need of time at the crease and some runs under his belt and it seemed like he was running into a bit of form until he inexplicably ran himself out going for a two which was not on.
This brought Harry Caton to the wicket. Harry had just played an important part in securing a win for Derbyshire seconds with his batting and it was clear he had brought that form back with him. His first two scoring shots were fours and his arrival seemed to provide a boost of energy for our pro. The pair of them set about the opposition attack with real gusto running them ragged in the field and hitting many fine boundary strokes on the large ground. The pair had added 138 before a clearly tired Sen was caught on the boundary for 79. Charlie Hamilton then joined Harry and he sensibly kept giving the strike to his in form partner. In the final over with his score on 90, Harry, obviously sensing the possibility of a ton was also caught on the boundary edge bringing a magnificent knock to an end.
With a score of 242 on the board the Rams were at last in pole position but we needed to press home our advantage. Grimmy opened our attack with our two young pacemen, Owen Collinge and Jake Walker. After a slightly nervous start both lads got into an excellent rhythm and when they had finished their spells Rochdale were 28 for 2. Owen having taken both wickets, bowling the opener opener Halliwell and having the dangerous Dawson caught behind. The opposition pair of the experienced Mohammad Zaman and the pro Waqar Khan set about stabilising things and although they got a bit behind the clock they looked like representing a danger to us.
The breakthrough came with the score on 76 when Grimmy seemed to get one to stop in the track and Zaman skied the ball towards backward point where Josh Dentith held on to the catch. The next wicket fell with the score on 100 when Dan Pyke, in his first over bowled Zaman for 40. Wickets then fell at regular intervals with the bowlers sharing the spoils between them and when Sen captured the last wicket with the score on 140 there was palpable relief on the faces of the Rams supporters. This was a much better performance, in particularly in the field, built on the fact we had posted a decent score for once.
Amateur Man of the Macth – Harry Caton for his magnificent knock but it would be wrong not to pay tribute to Sen for his important contribution when clearly very unwell.
